To avoid risk of serious injury,
no swimmer who has not been properly trained should attempt to
perform a racing start, from either a starting block or the side of
the pool, into less than six feet of water.

USA Swimming has implemented a
racing start certification program where a swimmer’s coach
documents his or her professional judgment that a swimmer has
demonstrated sufficient skill to safely perform a racing start into
four feet of water.

Although somewhat unusual,
swimmers do not always participate in swimming competitions under
the supervision of a certified coach. It is the parent’s
responsibility to make sure the swimmer does not attempt to perform
a racing start in less than six feet of water if the swimmer has
not been properly certified by the swimmer’s coach to do
so. Beginning May 1, 2009 all swimmers must be
certified to do a dive by their
coaches.